Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC)

We're thrilled to announce that LEDC has been awarded $100,000 by Wells Fargo to support our Housing Counseling program ??!?In celebration of National Homeownership Month, Wells Fargo Foundation has expanded partnerships with five local nonprofits, investing $500,000 to break down barriers to housing and create generational wealth in the Greater Washington, D.C. region.?? A huge thank you to Wells Fargo, Victor Burrola and congratulations to fellow recipients: DC Affordable Law Firm, CENTRO DE APOYO FAMILIAR-CAF , Manna Inc., and BUILDING BRIDGES ACROSS THE RIVER. We look forward to partnering with each of you in the near future! #NationalHomeownershipMonth #HousingCounseling #GenerationalWealth #CommunityDevelopment

??Save the Date!?? Get ready for the 11th Annual Empowered Women International Holiday Market, happening at the Silver Spring Civic Center on Saturday, December 7, 2024! ?? It's going to be an amazing day filled with holiday shopping, amazing local women vendors, and festive fun! ?? Don’t miss it—details are coming soon, including how you can join us as a vendor or attendee! Keep an eye out for updates!

TODAY! LEDC will be present at the Connected by Culture Series: Innovadores del Futuro – Empowering Rising Latino Community Tech Leaders. Community members are invited to celebrate and network with the next generation of Latino leaders pursuing careers in tech and entrepreneurship at the Verizon Rockville Pike retail store (1701 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852). Enjoy free professional headshots from 3:00pm - 5:00pm, refreshments from Colada Shop, two performances from Baila4Life and a panel of Montgomery County leaders supporting Latino community members interested in tech and entrepreneurship starts at 5:00pm. RSVP HERE: https://lnkd.in/ey5UDhXD

?? Upcoming Events with LEDC (Oct 17 - Oct 24) ??Whether you're a small business owner, first-time homebuyer, looking to boost your financial literacy, we've got something for everyone. Join us for in-person and virtual events to take your goals to the next level! ?? Intro to Homebuying at Baltimore City (Oct 17) ?? DC - First-Time Homebuyer Orientation (Oct 22) ?? Cafecito Financiero (Oct 23) ?? Brunch y Negocios (Oct 24) ?? Reconstruyendo Mi Historia de Dinero (Oct 24) ?? MD - Homeowner Assistance & Foreclosure Prevention (Oct 24) ? Contracting with the Government: Get Your Business Ready (Oct 24) ?? Register today: ledcmetro.org/events

Recapping last week's events: Last week, Mayor Scott hosted a reception in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, honoring individuals who have made outstanding contributions to our Latino/Latine/Latinx communities. Congratulations to the awardees! A special thanks to the members of the Baltimore City Hispanic Commission for their support with the nomination and review process. Our office received dozens of nominations! Thanks to Edwin Pérez for his performance! So great to see so many familiar faces such as our IG Isabel Mercedes Cumming and Councilwoman Odette Ramos. The following day, we collaborated with the Baltimore City Office of Equity and Civil Rights for a discussion on the history of immigrant inclusion and the progress achieved by and for immigrants in our city. The panel was conducted in Spanish, offering English-only speakers a chance to experience the perspective of our immigrant communities for a few hours. Thank you to our panelists, who—despite technical challenges—shared valuable insights and recommendations on how we can continue to build a city where all communities have access to services and resources, regardless of language, national origin, or immigration status. Southeast CDC, Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC), CASA, Baltimore Comite Latino. Veronica Cool Giuliana Valencia-Banks Alejandra Balcázar Luis O. Cardona Whitney Visker Desi Velazquez Adonia Simpson Jessica C. Eric Lin Glenda Sierra-Schulz Crisaly De Los Santos Polanco Caron Watkins

Yesterday was an extraordinary day for us at IKEA College Park! In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we partnered with the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) for a local Small Business Summit to benefit small businesses within our community! Subject matter experts were speaking on: "Cultivating an Entrepreneurial Mindset" "Balancing Act for Personal & Business Finances" "Realizing your Business Goals in a Socio-economic Climate" LEDC one-on-one business coaches offered their free services to attendees. IKEA for Business Service Office members as well as Slope representatives spoke on the benefits of these incredible resources that are always available to small businesses. So proud of our team and collaborators, great job everyone!! Andre Armstrong #IKEACollegePark #LEDC #INGKA #IKEAUS #IKEA #IKEAforBusiness #Slope #HispanicHeritageMonth #LatinoEconomicDevelopmentCenter

Last week, LEDC and GreenLatinos shared a great fall evening at Meridian Hill Park with a picnic, canvassing, and celebrating community and commitment to our environment. We also enjoyed some delicious tacos from CAJEME Sonoran Taco Bar + Catering Co.. Together, we’re planting seeds for a greener future ????

?? Shape the future of your community while growing your business! The Purple Line Small Business Advocacy Program gives you the skills to engage with decision-makers and influence change. ????? Combat gentrification and keep the local economy thriving—your business and your community deserve it. ??Apply: https://lnkd.in/eEp8JVPV #SmallBusinessAdvocate #ETOD #TransitDevelopment #PurpleLineBiz #CommunityImpact

IKEA for Business is partnering with the Latino Economic Development Center for our Fall 2024 Small Business Summit TOMORROW Tuesday, October 15! ?? Are you a small business owner or entrepreneur seeking guidance? ?? Join us from 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM for a FREE event featuring: ??? IKEA Business Network Info ?? Workshops by LEDC ??? Panel Discussions on minority-owned business challenges & successes ?? Networking sessions, and so much more! Don’t miss out! RSVP is required for this incredible opportunity! We can’t wait to see you there! ??https://ow.ly/fN7v50THYfG #SmallBusinessSummit #LEDC #IKEABusiness #Entrepreneurs #Networking

??Cybersecurity and Your Small Business?? ??? Date: Thursday, October 17 | 11:00 am – 12:00 pm ?? Learn how to safeguard your business from digital threats & protect your customers! ??????? ?? Practical tips, tools & a look into Google’s Cybersecurity Career Certificate ???? ?? Register here: https://lnkd.in/e6ncn4Rf Don’t miss out on this essential workshop! ??? #Cybersecurity #SmallBusiness #DigitalSecurity #GrowWithGoogle